Dress-shield fastener.



Nd. 7u, 234. Patented Oct. 14, I902.

J. szueumu. DRESS SHIELD FASTENER.

(Application filed Feb. 17, 1902.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES JOSEPH SELIGMAN, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SOPHIE HERMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRESS-SHIELD FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart Of Letters Patent N 0. 711,234, dated October 14, 1902.

Application filed February 17, 1902. Serial No. 94,361. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SELIGMAN, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dress-Shield Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for detachably securing dress-shields to seam-strips of dresses, and has for its object to provide an efficient and relatively inexpensive fastener adapted to be secured to a dress-shield and to engage a seam-strip without in any way interfering with the comfort of the wearer and Without liability of tearing the seam-strip when being engaged therewith and removed therefrom.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a view of the blank from which the fastener constituting the embodiment of my invention here shown and described is made. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 represent, respectively, rear, front, and end elevations of the completed fastener, made from the blank shown in Fig. 1, before the same is attached to a dress-shield. Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of said fastener. Fig. 6 represents a perspective view showing the fastener attached to the margin of one of the flaps or sides of a dressshield. Fig. 7 represents a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 9 represent, respectively, sections on lines 8 8 and 9 9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 represents alongitudinal section taken through a portion of the fold of a dress-shield and showing my improved fastener in section attached thereto. Fig. 11 represents a section on line 11 11, Fig. 10. Fig. 12 represents a side view of a dress-shield equipped with fasteners of the construction shown in the preceding figures. Fig. 13 represents a side View of a modification.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

My improved dress-shield fastener is made from a flat blank 2, having converging edges 3 3, said blank being made from sheet metal. The blank is bent or rolled to form a frustoconical clip 4, having a tapering slot extending from end to end, the edges of said slot being the converging edges 3 3 of the blank, said edges constituting gripping-jaws adapted to engage a seam-strip 5 Within the armopening or sleeve of a ladys dress-Waist. It will be seen particularly by an inspection of Figs. 3, 7, 8, and 9 that at any portion of the cross-section of the clip the seam-strip-receiving slot is narrower than the interior of the clip, the edges or jaws 3 3 projecting inwardly toward each other over the space or chamber inclosed by the clip, so that they formopposed gripping edges, which are opposed or project inwardly in opposite direc tions along the entire length of the slot. I-Ience all parts of said jaws are adapted to bear with a biting or grasping pressure against the seam-strip 5. In other words, there are no portions of said jaws which are liable to permit the strip to slip edgewise outwardly from the back of the clip, or vice versa, so that the back or closed side of the clip at the smaller end thereof may be heldclosely against the edge of the strip, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 10, the clip being thus prevented from standing out from the strip and causing discomfort to the wearer. This feature of my invention-namely, the extension of the opposed gripping-jaws to the smaller end of the clip, the jaws being adapted to grasp or bite the fabric at the smaller end of the clip as well as at the larger end--is a very desirable one in a dress-shield fastener, because it enables the clip to be engaged firmly with a seam-strip throughout the entire length of the jaws by a strain exerted on the shield to which it is attached.

It will be observed that the preferred or frusto-conical form of hollow clip is substantially circular at all cross-sectional points from the larger to the smaller end. This results in bringing the edges of the metal at the sides of the slot into opposition, so that the seam or fabric is grasped or bitten between the edges of the metal which are uniform in width and character of bite, and since the amount of metal is less at the smaller end of the clip, or, in other words, formedin a smaller circle in cross-section, the hold or bite progressively increases in strength from the larger to the smaller end, so that the strongest hold is exerted at the portion of the clip which has the smallest internal diameter. Furthermore, since the smaller end of the clip is unobstructed the strip or seam of fabric that is gripped is permitted to extend from said smaller end without deflection from the line of the back of the clip, while the extension of the biting hold of the jaws to the smaller end prevents such outward deflection.

The means here shown for securing the clip to a dress-shield comprise an extension 6, formed on the wider end of the blank, and spurs 77, formed on said extension and separated from the body of the clip by the inner portion of the extension, said inner portion forming a neck, which connects the spurs 7 7 With the body of the clip. The spurs 7 7 are adapted to penetrate the margin of one of the folds or side pieces 8 of a dress-shield, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, or the folded portion at the junction of said side pieces 8, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. It will be seen that the separation of the prongs '7 7 from the larger end of the body of the clip enables the prongs to penetrate the material at a suitable distance inwardly from the edge thereof, the larger end of the body of the clip constituting a gage or stop, against which the edge of the dress-shield bears when the clip is properly adjusted for attachment to the shield. The neck 6 is preferably arched like the portion of the body of the clip from which it extends, the arched form of the extension enabling it to conform to the curvature of the fold of the dress-shield, as shown in Fig. 11, the extension 6 bearing smoothly on the fold of the shield without causing any protuberance likely to cause discomfort to the wearer of the shield.

It will be seen that the described fastener is adapted to be quickly and securely attached to a shield and that when attached it enables the shield to be readily engaged with and removed from the seam-strips within a dress-waist without liability of injury to the said strips.

I do not limit myself to the converging arrangement of the jaws 3 3 shown in Fig. 3. Said jaws may be substantially parallel, as shown in Fig. 13, without departing from the spirit of my invention. In case the jaws are parallel the normal Width of the slot between the jaws at the larger end of the clip will be preferably somewhat less than the width of the wider end of the slot shown in Fig. 3.

I claim- 1. The combination with an article of wearing-apparel, of a tubular elastic clip secured thereto, said clip being open throughout with unobstructed ends, and having its wall slitted from end to end to form opposite gripping edges arranged to exert pressure edgewise toward each other and constructed to exert greater tension at one end than at the other, whereby a fabric or seam-strip within the slit will be grasped by the opposing edges of the clip and held throughout the length of the latter but with a relatively strong tension at one end, as set forth.

2. A frusto-conical hollow clip having a continuous tapering internal opening extending from end to end and unobstructed at both ends and having a slot extending from end to end, said slot being narrower than the internal diameter of the clip, so that its edges form opposed biting-jaws,the said clip being substantially circular at all cross-sectional points, whereby the opposed biting-jaws are uniform from end to end and are adapted to exertahold which progressivelyincreases from the larger to the smaller end of the clip,and means for attaching the clip to an article of wearing-apparel, wherebya strain which may be exerted on the article of wearing-apparel to which it is attached in a direction lengthwise of the clip is caused to engage the jaws with a strip of fabric throughout the entire length of the jaws with a biting hold which is uniform in character but increases in strength from the larger to the smaller end, the strongest hold being exerted at the part of the clip which has the smallest internal diameter.

3. The combination of a dress-shield, and a frusto-conical hollow clip which is open or unobstructed at both ends, and is provided with means for attaching it to the shield and which projects at its smaller end from the point of attachment, said clip having opposed longitudinal biting-jaws separated by a slot which is narrower than the internal diameter of the clip, whereby said biting-jaws are adapted to exert a hold which increases from the larger to the smaller end of the clip, the strongest hold being exerted at the portion of the clip which has the smallest internal diameter.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH SELIGMAN.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, A. D. I-IARRIsoN. 

